Rapid Fire: Auburn, Penn State, K-State, Tennessee, San Diego State, Texas A&M Notes

“Rapid Fire” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on multiple coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on no less than six jobs…

Auburn

When a coach is on the hot seat, as Tommy Tuberville is, it can be a useful exercise to study a copy of that coach’s contract. Specifically, the section titled, “Termination of Contract of Employment.” In layman’s terms, the buyout. Everybody but Nick Saban has one, and not all buyouts are created equal. Tuberville’s buyout contains two key provisions. The first is well-known. If Auburn fires Tuberville this year, it owes him $6 million. Conversely, if Tuberville leaves Auburn for another job this year, Tuberville - or his new employer - owes Auburn $6 million. The seldom-discussed provision is just when exactly the side that files for divorce has to fork over the money. Tuberville’s buyout is unusual for two reasons. There is no discount if he takes another job, and the total amount is due and payable with two big checks within one short year. If Auburn fires Tuberville, Auburn has to pay him one $3 million check within 30 days of his termination and another $3 million check on the one-year anniversary of his dismissal. That’s a serious price to pay, and it’s one reason a divorce at the end of this drama is not a foregone conclusion. One well-placed Auburn insider this week said he expects Tuberville to return for his 11th season on the Plain. But will any of this matter if the Tigers lose their final three SEC games, starting Saturday at Ole Miss, to finish 5-7? Tuberville hasn’t lost to the Rebels since 2003 - there’s that Jetgate parallel again - and he has never lost to Georgia and Alabama in the same season in nine previous runs through Amen Corner. – Birmingham News

Penn State

Penn State coach Joe Paterno said the week off will give him time to have doctors examine his bothersome hip and noted that if surgery is required, he will have it done after the season so he can “get on the road and recruit.” There would seem to be a message there, that maybe the 81-year-old coach plans to return for yet another season. – Columbus Dispatch

Kansas State

Prince is 0-2 against the Jayhawks, losing 39-20 in 2006 and 30-24 last season. It’s no coincidence that, less than three full seasons into his tenure at K-State, many Wildcat fans are clamoring for Prince to be fired. Prince says he doesn’t pay much attention to the outside voices, and in this case, he doesn’t need to. The Wildcat coach gets frequent reminders of the magnitude of this rivalry from his inner circle. “I’ve heard about this game every single day, and it starts inside my own home with my four kids,” Prince said. “Everybody wants to win this game, including me.” No one needs it more than Prince. Beating a KU team that began the season ranked 14th in the nation would bolster the case for retaining Prince and ease some of the pressure applied by a restless fanbase. A loss, meanwhile, could be the final straw for fans already dissatisfied with the direction of the program. – Capital-Journal

Tennessee

His detractors and supporters agree on at least one thing: Phillip Fulmer is a very good recruiter. It makes sense, then, that Fulmer is trying to hang onto his job as Tennessee football coach by assembling an exceptional recruiting class for ‘09, which currently is ranked No. 7 in the nation by Rivals.com. If nothing else, this is a testament to just how good a recruiter Fulmer is. With the negativity surrounding the UT program and serious questions about his job security, Fulmer and his staff face an uphill battle in every recruiting tug-o-war. Yet, the Vols have gotten commitments from 20 players in 13 states. “If we can hang onto all those guys and add to it a little bit, I think there’s a reason for optimism,” Fulmer said. The underlying message: This is the recruiting class that turns everything around. Just let me get these guys in here and things will take off. Trust me. But there’s a problem. Historically, Fulmer has recruited well. Yet, the talent haul on signing day hasn’t translated into a high level of success on the field in recent years. Recruiting is one thing; developing talent is another. – Tennessean

San Diego State

San Diego State football coach Chuck Long recently made a rather bizarre observation.

This season, Long said, the Aztecs “really have done well from Sunday through Friday.” One problem, coach: Your games are always on Saturdays. So what on Earth do you mean? “I don’t want to go into our issues again. There are different issues when we go into games,” said Long, who has cited his team’s injury and depth problems on several occasions. “But we do like practicing with these guys,” he said Wednesday, elaborating. “They’re really attentive. They’re running around and have energy when they do it. We’ve had our moments in practice like everybody else, but (Wednesday) was a good day. It’s a good sign for the coaching staff, that they’re in tune with what we want to do.” SDSU’s record on Saturdays this year is 1-7. During the rest of the week, the Aztecs might be 8-0, judging by Long’s assessment of each week of practices. This kind of outlook tends to invite ridicule from critical fans who have been waiting 10 years for better results on Saturdays, the day that matters in college football. – Union-Tribune

Texas A&M

So while it might not be ideal for the Texas A&M Aggies to be playing so many youngsters in the brutal Big 12, it ought to pay off in a year or two, right? That’s at least what I asked Mike Sherman this week, as the Aggies prepared for their 1 p.m. Saturday game against Colorado at Kyle Field. “It’ll pay off for somebody,” Sherman said, chuckling. “Hopefully it’ll be me. I can’t do this too many times. But I’m hoping it will pay off next year, and two or three years down the road.” Considering Sherman is in the first year of a seven-year contract paying him $1.8 million per year, he’s good to go for a while — and will be provided ample opportunity to get this thing rolling again. – San Antonio Express-News

The Firing Line: Leach Among Candidates at Washington

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Washington Huskies…

Coach Mike Leach and the Huskies? Don’t laugh. Word on the street is Leach is ready to get out of Texas Tech and would be highly interested in the UW job. The bigger issue is whether Washington would be interested in him. Its last experience with sort of a nontraditional coach got them a sweater-vest-wearing, job-coveting, NCAA-pool-playing guy, five weeks in a courtroom and the loss of a couple of million bucks for it. – Seattle Times

As the coaching dominoes begin to fall, the highest high and the lowest low of the profession are just miles away from each other in Seattle. On the low end, you have Tyrone Willingham, fired Monday by Washington, at 0-7, in the midst of what will no doubt be the worst season in school history. On the high end is Jim Mora, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach, signed to replace Mike Holmgren as head coach next year for $4 million a year for five years but mulling overtures from Washington, his alma mater. Mora hasn’t said a word all week, leading to speculation that he will indeed listen to the Huskies, for whom he played linebacker from 1981 to 1983 and where he may find more security. No. 2 on Washington’s wish list reportedly is Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, a Huskies assistant from 1979 to 1990. However, Pinkel is from Ohio. He wouldn’t be coming home, and he has finally closed the recruiting border around Missouri. He has it going. Fired Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian have expressed interest. However, a more realistic option may be Boise State coach Chris Petersen or Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. – Denver Post

Seattle Seahawks assistant coach Jim Mora insists he has just one focus right now, even though many Seattle football fans are wondering whether Mora is taking a serious interest in what’s happening a few miles away on the University of Washington campus. Three days after Washington fired head coach Tyrone Willingham, effective at the end of the season, Mora spoke briefly Thursday, although he did not address the raging speculation about his possible interest in the Huskies’ job. Mora was allowed to talk on condition he only discussed the Seahawks’ secondary. When asked why he wouldn’t take questions about the Washington job, Mora, who has a contract believed to be worth almost $5 million annually to become the Seahawks head coach next season, held firm. – AP

The Firing Line: Robinson Moves Closer to Unemployment

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Syracuse Coach Greg Robinson…

With a fan base desperate for change and a failing head coach still at the helm, the players of the Syracuse football team are stuck in the middle. They are in limbo between the future and the present, even if they only want to deal with the latter. Despite his 8-34 record as a head coach and little visible improvement, Greg Robinson continues to run the Orange (1-6, 0-3 Big East). The team’s fans continue to call for his head. Meanwhile, reports and rumors involving Daryl Gross, the Syracuse director of athletics, taking action against Robinson continue to float around on message boards, talk radio stations and even The New York Times. Caught up in this mess, the Syracuse players say they only want to focus on the remaining five games on the schedule, starting with Louisville (5-2, 1-1 Big East) at the Carrier Dome 7 p.m. Saturday. – Daily Orange

Should Syracuse pull the plug on Greg Robinson at this point in the season, with five games left to play? In many respects, it would be the best thing for all concerned. It’s not as if Robinson hasn’t been given a chance — this is his fourth season, and the Orange is a collective 8-35, with two of those victories coming over Buffalo and another against 1-AA Northeastern. Nor would this mean that G-rob, as he has become known in Upstate New York, would have to get a job delivering pizzas. He has a lot of contacts in the coaching fraternity, was a successful defensive coordinator at Texas, and should land on somebody’s staff for 2009 if he has time to shop his resume around. But what if Syracuse were to run the table from here on out? Well, the last five games are against Louisville, Rutgers, Connecticut, Notre Dame and Cincinnati. Beating any of those teams would be a major upset for Syracuse. Winning all five would be like the Libertarian candidate upsetting McCain and Obama on Election Day. With the pressure to save Robinson’s job lifted, however, the Orange might still play better. At least they wouldn’t have to feel so guilty every week. One argument against firing a coach in mid-stream is that it might hurt recruiting, but the Orange recruiting is already mortally wounded. There are only four commitments, probably because Robinson has been walking the sidelines with an ax over his head. – RealFootbal365.com

The spirit of the Syracuse University football team is far from broken. But with a loss Saturday to Louisville, it may begin to dissolve. One more defeat will mathematically eliminate the Orange from bowl eligibility. A loss would secure the fourth consecutive losing season for Syracuse under head coach Greg Robinson. The math gets easier. Zero bowl games in four years equals zero chance for Robinson’s survival. Indeed, Robinson looked destined for the unemployment line when the New York Times reported last week that Syracuse had hired a consulting firm to begin research to find a replacement. Athletic director Dr. Daryl Gross denied that any action had been taken. The Times also stated that Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall — a former SU player and assistant coach — was listed as a strong candidate for the job, but Edsall vehemently rejected the claim earlier this week. To make matters worse, Robinson’s simmering hot seat began to sizzle when Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham was fired Monday. He will step down at the end of the season. What does it mean to Robinson? “We need to win some darn football games,” Robinson said. – Watertown Daily Times

31 October 2008 Morning Headlines

Great Pumpkin at Spurrier: Phil Fulmer is 5-8 all-time vs. Steve Spurrier — and that was with good teams. The Vols rank 113th in total offense. One less touchdown, and game tickets would be tax-deductible. Cover your eyes, children. Tennessee: meet 1-5. South Carolina covers 6. – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

USC football practices sometimes attract actors and other entertainment personalities, but Thursday saw the biggest Hollywood production of the Pete Carroll era. A stuntman fell from a platform, another ran across the field on fire. Both were “saved” by actor Will Ferrell, who wore a mask, half an Ironman costume and a Speedo-style swimsuit as Captain Compete. Thursday’s stunt began as the Trojans gathered after their final drill. Offensive line coach Pat Ruel began yelling at a man atop a mechanical lift used for filming practice. The man fell from the lift, on the street outside a fence that surrounds Howard Jones Field, and landed on a cushion out of view of those attending practice. A few seconds later, Ferrell burst through the gate carrying the unhurt man. As Ferrell addressed players, most of whom were laughing, another man emerged from behind the end zone engulfed in flames. After the flames were put out, Ferrell doused the man with water. – Los Angeles Times

Mark Richt quashed a rumor that Georgia was going to dress in all-black uniforms Saturday. He played coy, however, with beat reporters when the discussion went to red. “A blackout? No, man, no,” Richt said. Richt was then asked if the Bulldogs were going to wear their traditional red jerseys. “Do you really want to know? Don’t you just want to wait and see? Do you really want me to answer that question? You want me to straight up answer that question?” “Yes,” the reporters said in unison. “We’re wearing red.” Richt clammed up when asked if that meant red pants, too. “We’re going to wear red,” he said with a laugh. “Put that in the celebration category.” – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Terrelle Pryor was dejected Saturday after Ohio State lost to Penn State 13-6, which might explain why offensive quality-control coach Nick Siciliano accompanied the freshman quarterback to postgame interviews. Siciliano sat next to Pryor and repeatedly patted him on the back and even interjected after one question that the loss wasn’t Pryor’s fault. Although Pryor’s gloom was evident — “I’ve never faced adversity like this before,” he said — it was the first time the team’s beat reporters could remember a player being given this kind of treatment after a game. Coaches have demonstrated their sensitivity to the news media’s treatment of Pryor in at least one other way. He has not been made available for any of the media-luncheon or after-practice interview sessions since being named the starting quarterback after the game against Southern California on Sept. 13. – Columbus Dispatch

Penn State coach Joe Paterno said the week off will give him time to have doctors examine his bothersome hip and noted that if surgery is required, he will have it done after the season so he can “get on the road and recruit.” There would seem to be a message there, that maybe the 81-year-old coach plans to return for yet another season. – Columbus Dispatch

Keith Price, the first of the Washington Huskies’ five football recruits to commit, is a little nervous because he hasn’t heard from anyone at the UW in the past two weeks. He wonders who will replace coach Tyrone Willingham, who was forced to resign this week, and said the upheaval on Montlake “shakes things up a bit” as far as his commitment. Price said he intends to sign a letter of intent with Washington in February, but said he plans to visit other schools and expects to take a trip to the University of Utah in December. Boise State and Washington State have also expressed interest in the 6-foot-2, 175 pound quarterback at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif. – Seattle Times

Less than a year ago, as Illinois savored its surprise Rose Bowl berth in coach Ron Zook’s third season, Zook was asked about the future of his program. “I don’t think there’s any question we’ll be a better football team next year,” he said. Zook never guaranteed a better record, but last year’s 9-3 regular-season mark is beyond the reach of this season’s 4-4 team. Losses to Missouri, Penn State, Minnesota and Wisconsin have left the Illini needing two victories in the final four games just to be bowl-eligible, beginning with Saturday’s home game against Iowa (5-3). And one of the games is against No. 13 Ohio State in Champaign on Nov. 15.”We could be 6-2,” Zook said. “It evens out in the long run. Maybe we won a couple of games last year we shouldn’t have. I still believe we’re a better football team. We’re not there yet. We have a long way to go.” – Chicago Tribune

When asked about a possible Big 12 vs. Southeastern Conference national title game, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said it’s too early to predict given the upsets that usually occur late in the year. Then he added, “I’m rooting for JoePa.” It makes us wonder: If the season ended with three undefeated teams at the top of the polls, how much would a sentiment similar to Spurrier’s affect voters given the impact Penn State’s soon-to-be-82-year-old coach, Joe Paterno, has had on the game? – USA Today

USC coach Pete Carroll thinks there is another reason for the offense’s struggles. “We’re playing teams in conference that know us and played against us for years,” Carroll said. “It’s harder to play them than when you see an opponent for the first time.” Maybe that explains how USC routed Ohio State (35-3) and Virginia (52-7) but struggled with Oregon State and Arizona. Sanchez admitted the games in conference seem to be more intense. “There’s more at stake for us and it’s a different deal,” he said. – LA Daily News

Mike Leach came to Texas Tech with the Spread Offense, which he learned from Hal Mumme at Kentucky. He refined it at Oklahoma with Bob Stoops, and planted its roots in west Texas. Every coach who has spent time as the Red Raiders coach knows he must have something unique to offer recruits because most places will be more attractive with bigger personalities. Leach is the perfect man for Lubbock since he does not seem to care about fluffy things. Mike promised young, aspiring quarterbacks and receivers that they could blossom and excel in his offense. They could have fun, set records, and become somewhat famous with their play. Michael Crabtree won the Fred Biletnekoff Award last year as the outstanding wide receiver in the country — and he was only a sophomore. His numbers are not as impressive this year but only when compared to last season. He still brings headaches to defensive coaches and players. – Desert Sun

When Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi replaced Glen Mason with the tight ends coach of the Denver Broncos, Tim Brewster imparted the impression that he would become a public relations whirlwind who would need to learn how to run a football program. Brewster never had worked as a coordinator or head coach above the high school level. He talked a good game. There existed no evidence that he knew how to coach a good game. With the Gophers at 7-1 and facing Northwestern this weekend, and with a New Year’s Day bowl a possibility, what is most remarkable about Brewster’s reign as the Gophers’ football coach is that he has proved far better at running the program than promoting it. – Star Tribune

Tim Tebow suffered a hyper-extended knee in the Oct. 4 game against Arkansas, but coach Urban Meyer said Thursday it has not affected Tebow’s play at all and he hasn’t missed any practice time. “It’s fine,” Meyer said. “Go to sleep tonight knowing he’s fine.” The injury was revealed after CBS play-by-play announcer Gary Danielson said Thursday that Meyer told him Tebow had been injured earlier in the season, but Florida had kept it quiet. Meyer said the injury happened on an interception throw in the Arkansas game, and he didn’t not talk about it because Tebow continued to play. Meyer said Tebow isn’t one to talk about his injuries, pointing out that Tebow told him before last year’s Georgia game that he was “fine.” “I later found he couldn’t pick his arm up,” Meyer said. – St. Petersburg Times

Who is the only true freshman to lead the Pac-10 in rushing for a season? Answer: no one, but Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rodgers is more than halfway there, averaging 116 yards through seven games. That’s a comfortable margin over California’s Jahvid Best (107.2) especially with Arizona State’s No. 84-ranked rush defense up next Saturday. – Arizona Republic

The storyline has become less and less juicy as the years go by, but a trip back to Oxford, Miss., for Tommy Tuberville and a number of coaches on his staff still brings back the memories. The unkind reception from an anti-Tuberville fanbase has also tempered, making the trip just a tad more relaxing. “It’s not quite as brutal as it was early in my tenure,” Tuberville said. “It’s always fun to go back and see old friends. They even call for tickets. I never give them to them but they call for tickets.” The enemies certainly outnumbered the friends in Tuberville’s first couple of return trips to Ole Miss. Days before he signed with Auburn following the 1998 season, Tuberville made one of his more infamous statements: “They’ll have to carry me out of here in a pine box,” an enthusiastic commitment to the school where he began his head-coaching career. The words, obviously, did not sit well with fans, who have let Tuberville hear it when he returns every other year. The worst reaction came in his first trip back, in 2000, when Auburn players carried Tuberville on their shoulders after the Tigers’ victory. The Vaught-Hemingway crowd heavily booed the display. – Opelika-Auburn News

USC safety Kevin Ellison will not play on Saturday against Washington and could be out two to four weeks after suffering a knee injury in practice. Ellison, a senior who is tied for the team lead in tackles, said early Friday morning that an MRI exam revealed a torn meniscus in his right knee and that he might require surgery. – Los Angeles Times

He hasn’t been asked to host Saturday Night Live yet, or be a presenter at the ESPYs, but new Oregon State coach Craig Robinson is considered a big ‘get’ for TV and radio types. And after he’s done answering the obligatory questions about you-know-who, Robinson jumps at the chance to talk about Beavers’ basketball and the job he has bringing it back to respectability. Inauguration Day is Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C. … normally, Robinson would be in Corvallis, helping OSU prepare for a Pac-10 roadie Jan. 22 at Cal. … and the Fox guys asked if Robinson would instead be in D.C. for the ceremony. “Well, if if works out on Tuesday, there is a very good chance that on the 20th, the team will be practicing without me there,” said Robinson. “But we will still be preparing for Cal.” – The Oregonian

Kansas running back Jake Sharp has been averaging 5.1 yards a carry for the Jayhawks in Big 12 play. He keyed KU’s comeback win at Iowa State with a 67-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown, and it’s no secret how he did it. Speed. Sharp has spent the last two years chipping away at that disappointing 40 time. In May, Sharp ran a 4.38 — down .15 seconds from his freshman year and the fastest on the team, according to Dawson. Safety Darrell Stuckey is second at 4.48, a full tenth of a second slower than Sharp. To Sharp, that’s exactly as it should be. “Speed is the No. 1 factor to my game,” Sharp said. “It’s why I’m able to play here.” – Kansas City Star

UCLA coaches will give the players today and Saturday off, using that time to visit recruits who could bring needed reinforcement next fall. “Big weekend for us,” Coach Rick Neuheisel said. “We’ll be out in earnest all day tomorrow and junior college recruiting on Saturday.” Junior college transfers could be of immediate help, but it remains to be seen how much leeway the university will allow in terms of admissions. Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker will be in the San Francisco Bay Area. Offensive coordinator Norm Chow will travel a little farther, flying to his native Hawaii. Coaches aren’t allowed to discuss recruits, but rivals.com has reported that UCLA has oral commitments from running back Dalton Hilliard and receiver Roby Toma of Punahou High in Honolulu. – Los Angeles Times

Aundre Dean was considered one of the jewels of UCLA’s recruiting class, but two-thirds of the way through the season the freshman has barely been on the field and would not commit to being a Bruin in 2009. The tailback has been slowed by an ankle injury, and has two carries for one yard. Although he is on UCLA’s travel roster, his only action came late in games - Sept. 13 at BYU and Oct. 4 at home against Washington State. When asked if he would be at UCLA next season, Dean was non-committal. “I’m pretty sure I will be, but we’ll see how it goes,” Dean said. “I’m working right now. That’s all I can do right now, and finish out the year. Work, work, work. That’s all I can say. I don’t want anybody to say I didn’t work hard, so that’s what I’m doing right now, working my butt off. It’s way down the road. I have no idea (about transferring).” – LA Daily News

Rapid Fire: UNLV, Iowa, Clemson, UTEP Notes

“Rapid Fire” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on multiple coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on no less than four jobs…

UNLV

The case against Sanford: Sanford is constantly talking about turning the corner, but will he be the one to get them across it?Sanford is in the final season of his four-year contract. He signed on to coach the Rebels after leading the Utah Utes to a Fiesta Bowl victory as offensive coordinator in 2004. The Rebels’ head coach that season, John Robinson, resigned halfway through the season and his team finished 2-9 setting the trend for Sanford… In four years as head coach, his record speaks for itself: nine wins and 34 losses. Of those nine wins, only one has come against a team that has finished (or has to this point in the 2008 season) a winning record. – The Rebel Yell

Iowa

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: Off-field problems the last two years haven’t helped Ferentz’s case, but the team has been playing better, and it faces a key stretch of games that will dictate the administration’s course with its $3 million-a-year coach. The five wins this fall aren’t too impressive, though Iowa should get a sixth at home against struggling Purdue. Still, the Hawkeyes might have to win two of these three remaining games — at Illinois and Minnesota, home against Penn State — for Ferentz to keep his job. – Sporting News

Clemson

Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster has been contacted about filling the coaching vacancy at Clemson, sources close to the search said. Foster, 49, is one of several candidates believed to be under consideration to replace Tommy Bowden, who stepped down Oct. 13. Others include Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, TCU coach Gary Patterson, Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson and Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Clemson likely will talk to coordinators who are candidates before the season ends and wait until after the season to speak with sitting head coaches. – Rivals.com

UTEP

Mike Price, UTEP: The 0-3 start made things very shaky in El Paso. Winning three of four since has helped, and while the Miners won’t win the C-USA West (Tulsa will), Price can strengthen his case in games against state and conference rivals Rice, SMU and Houston. Win two of those three, and he’s safe. – Sporting News

The Firing Line: Glenn Hangs By a Thread

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Wyoming Coach Joe Glenn…

Tenuous. That’s how Wyoming’s Joe Glenn described his future as the Cowboys’ football coach on Tuesday. The likeable leader (except among some Utah fans) of the Cowboys is on the hotseat with his team having gone 2-5 this season, and he knows it. – St. Louis Tribune

Wyoming coach Joe Glenn, whose team has scored just 17 points in five MWC games this season, acknowledged that he may not be guiding the Cowboys next season. When asked about his job status, he said it’s “tenuous.” Glenn added that when he met with school administrators before the season, his team needed to go to a bowl game to salvage his job. For that to happen, the ‘Pokes would have to win out. After playing SDSU this week, the Cowboys visit Tennessee, play at UNLV and finish the schedule at home against Colorado State. A decision on his job status will be made at the end of the season, Glenn said. – Deseret News

The Firing Line: Auburn AD Offers Careful Support for Tuberville

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville…

The president pro tempore of Auburn’s Board of Trustees says coach Tommy Tuberville deserves a chance to turn things around in 2009. Paul Spina, a trustee from Pelham, told the Press-Register today that Auburn’s 10-year head coach has earned the right to fix the mistakes of a rocky 2008 season. – Mobile Press-Register

Tommy Tuberville is trying not to discuss what others are saying about his future at Auburn University. He figures he stated his case last week when he said he plans to coach the Tigers next year. No matter what others are saying, he’s trying to lay low. But he is aware of Wednesday newspaper stories about a trustee offering, with conditions, public support for him. On Wednesday, he said he appreciated trustee Paul Spina saying he’s standing with him despite a 4-4 record. “But you have to do your job, just keep going, try to get better. You always look for support, obviously, but I know we’ve got to get better and win games.” Auburn still has at least one-third of its games remaining and this is what he has to talk about days before playing an SEC road game at Ole Miss? That seems to be the Auburn way, for Tuberville’s career future is being played out in the media again, and it hardly seems to surprise anyone. “After all these years, I’m used to it,” Tuberville shrugged Wednesday. – Birmingham News

Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs said he would evaluate Tuberville’s complete tenure after the season. “As I do with every coach, I evaluate their job performance based on the body of work,” Jacobs said in a statement released tonight. “That being the case, we will continue to support Coach Tuberville and the program as we always have, and are looking forward to the next four games.” – Mobile Press-Register

Athletic director Jay Jacobs said Wednesday night that he’s standing by his football coach. It’s unclear how long that support will last. Jacobs said Wednesday that he’ll assess coach Tommy Tuberville at season’s end and will withhold judg-ment until then… Tuberville is 84-37 in nearly 10 seasons as the Tigers’ head coach. Auburn is 4-4 this year, though, and is a six-point underdog at Ole Miss this weekend. – Montgomery Advertiser

Tuberville is 84-37 in his time at Auburn. The Tigers have been SEC West co-champions four times and SEC champions once during his tenure. Auburn went 13-0 in 2004, but ultimately finished second in the BCS rankings. Spina did say, however, that Tuberville has “made a couple staff mistakes.” Tuberville fired Al Borges and hired spread-offense guru Tony Franklin as offensive coordinator before Auburn’s appearance in the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl in hopes of rejuvenating an offense that had become stagnant over the past two seasons. Six games into the 2008 season, with Auburn’s offense moving downward in the rankings by the week, Tuberville abruptly fired Franklin. He has since admitted that hiring Franklin was his mistake. Tuberville was aware of Spina’s comments after Wednesday evening’s practice. “You look at it and appreciate it,” Tuberville said. “You just have to do your job. Just keep going and work at it and try to get better. – Dothan Eagle

It seems no matter where you turn, you can’t escape the chatter surrounding Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville. Should he stay? Should he go? Should he disguise himself as Nick Saban for Halloween to boost his approval rating? The answer is easy. Tuberville should stay… Let’s say Auburn does get rid of Tuberville. It would take a complete fool to accept that job given the outrageous expectations. There’s better job security as a snow-plow driver in the Bahamas. Stick with Tubs. He’s done nothing but win since he was hired in 1999. He deserves a chance to redeem himself after one rotten season. – Times-Daily

The Name Game: Mora, Calhoun Could Be Candidates at UDub

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Washington Huskies…

The biggest question in Seattle sports walked off the Seahawks practice field without offering any answers Wednesday. Jim Mora hasn’t yet spoken publicly about signing on to fill Mike Holmgren’s shoes for the Seahawks in 2009 so it figures he’d stay silent on the job opening at Washington where Mora played back in the day. Thou shalt not speak about thy next job. That has been the rule of succession established by the Seahawks this season, one Mora has followed by remaining in his lane as the team’s secondary coach and head-coach-in-silent-waiting. Multiple requests were made for clarification from the Seahawks on Mora’s status. No interviews with Mora were granted, no statement was issued from president Tim Ruskell and no answer came from Mora’s agent. Nothing beyond the announcement back in February when Mora was introduced as Holmgren’s successor at a news conference where neither were present. The significance of all that silence depends upon the perspective. Washington fans see it as hope. To them, the lack of a definitive statement from Mora is just like saying that there is a chance he will end up replacing Tyrone Willingham. The Seahawks see the silence as an appropriate response, refusing to dignify all this speculation with a statement to reiterate what was laid out in February. – Seattle Times

Hans Mueh knows the calls are coming. Air Force’s athletic director knows a bunch of college head coaching positions will be vacant in the offseason and his coach, Troy Calhoun, will be courted. Washington already has said its coach, Tyrone Willingham, will not be back next season, opening a job at a school from a Bowl Championship Series conference in the Pacific Northwest - where Calhoun grew up. “I think there will be teams that come asking, just like at the end of his first year,” Mueh said this week at an Air Force practice. “I’d have to be naive to think there aren’t people out there watching and seeing the success. I’m sort of hoping we can hide him, but that ain’t working.” — Colorado Springs Gazette

30 October 2008 Morning Headlines

The SEC East title figures to be on the line when the teams kick off at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on the banks of the St. Johns River. So is a possible trip to the Dec. 6 SEC championship game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. And, if the final five weeks of the regular season play out anything like last year, national-championship hopes might still be at stake, too. “The winner of the game has control of the East,” Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said. “The loser loses it. That’s one of the goals we have — the most tangible goal we have and the most controllable goal we have. If you win the East, you have a shot at the SEC championship. If you keep winning, you might have a chance for the national championship.” “It’s why kids come to Florida,” Gators coach Urban Meyer said. “To play in games like this one.” – ESPN.com

A six-foot statue honoring legendary Ole Miss football coach John Vaught will be dedicated here Saturday in front of the Starnes Athletic Training Center on campus. Ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m., and are open to the public. The sculpture, commissioned by the M-Club Alumni Chapter and designed by Dr. Kim Sessums of Brookhaven, sits on an elliptical granite base. Jim Eley and Associates of Jackson, along with Harrell Construction, handled the design of the surrounding area. After capturing the University’s first conference title in his initial 1947 season, Vaught led the Rebels to additional SEC titles in 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962 and 1963. – Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

It’s almost the time of year when defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker gets mentioned regarding various job openings around the country. Last year, his name popped up at Washington State. The year before, it was Stanford and the NFL. Now Washington has an opening and Walker has connections in Seattle: He interviewed for the coordinator’s spot there last winter and his brother is friends with former Huskies star Warren Moon. But have UCLA’s difficulties this season dented his resume? “I think the people who know football know what they’re looking at,” Walker said. “I think they know what it’s all about.” The Bruins have played well enough against the pass but, with little help from the offense, rank in the bottom half of the Pac-10 in categories such as scoring and rushing defense. “I can’t control what the [athletic directors] think,” Walker said. “But I think if they ask the right people what I’m all about, maybe that will spark some interest.” – Los Angeles Times

Mike Stoops, Arizona: Even in defeat last week, the Wildcats looked prepared and well coached against heavyweight USC. Arizona (5-3) would have to implode over the last month of the season for Stoops to not be retained. The ‘Cats must find two wins from the remaining four games — at Washington State, at Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona State — to reach the magical seven-win plateau. In the watered-down Pac-10, Arizona could just as easily win out and play in the Holiday Bowl. – Sporting News

Texas A&M Mike Sherman, too, is proud that sophmore QB Jerrod Johnson is averaging 315 passing yards over his five career starts. But he’s not satisfied. Not with what appears to be a bright future for the young quarterback. “From where Jerrod was at the beginning of the season to now is night and day,” Sherman said. “He’s made a lot of progress, but he certainly hasn’t arrived.” – San Antonio Express-News

For the better part of the last four years, rabble rousers have harped on the notion that Ty Willingham was unfairly relieved of his post as Notre Dame head coach. Even as Willingham’s tenure as Washington coach continued spiraling downward, Irish haters still enjoyed sneering at the Golden Domers’ perceived elitism. Well, where are those people now? What, nobody’s defending Willingham’s 11-32 (and counting!) record at Washington? What gives? Apparently, the initial argument is no longer valid, or at least, not quite as valid as before. That’s because, in four years as the Huskies’ coach, Willingham failed to finish higher than ninth in the Pac-10, or even put together a winning season. – SI.com

A Groh, Virginia: As bad as it looked last month, when an awful loss to Duke dropped them to 1-3, the Cavs control their destiny in the ACC Coastal Division after a four-game winning streak. Of the four remaining games — Miami, at Wake Forest, Clemson, at Virginia Tech — only Wake Forest looks like a potential loss. It’s going to be mighty tough firing a coach who wins eight games, especially if that coach gets his team to the ACC Championship Game. – Sporting News

USC Coach Pete Carroll and his defensive staff have latched onto the Huskies’ 47.6% third-down success rate. It’s one of the few informational tidbits available to challenge a Trojans team that enters Saturday’s game at the Coliseum favored by more than 40 points. “They let us know they’re No. 1 in the Pac-10,” defensive end Kyle Moore said after practice on Wednesday. “You’ve got to go out and put some pressure on and tear that stat up.” USC leads the conference and ranks fourth nationally in third-down efficiency defense. Opponents have converted only 27.6%. The Huskies are coming off a 33-7 loss against Notre Dame. “They have some good playmakers, they just haven’t put it all together yet,” cornerback Cary Harris said. – Los Angeles Times

Until this season, LSU defensive end Rahim Alem was known for reasons other than his play on the field. He was the guy who changed his name — from Al Jones — or he was the older brother of multi-talented recruit Chad Jones, who has seen more playing time. But this season Alem has risen quickly in the eyes of coaches, teammates and fans, and even though it hasn’t been to the top of the depth chart, he is at the top of the stat sheet. Alem, a 6-foot-3, 254-pounder who played at Sat. Augustine as Al Jones Jr., leads LSU with five sacks and seven total tackles for losses while playing a reserve role. He was the only player to get to Gerogia’s Matt Stafford in last Saturday’s 52-38 loss to the Bulldogs, his fifth sack of the season. – Times-Picayune

Yet after forcing three quarterbacks to the sideline in the past four games, there’s now the possibility that officials will have Rutgers’ defense under closer scrutiny — despite the fact that no one has raised an issue of the Knights playing dirty. If nothing else, having officials with watchful eyes could take away the unit’s aggressiveness — just as Rutgers was starting to build some momentum. The Knights have won two straight to improve to 3-5 with last-place Syracuse next after this weekend’s bye. “I don’t think so,” Schiano said. “I think the officials know that our kids play clean, hard football. You’ve got to remember: Most of these officials have officiated us for eight years now, and I think the one thing that all of them would say is that our guys play the game the right way and keep their mouths shut and they play hard and clean. “It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances, that’s all.” – Newark Star-Ledger

Bill Stewart, West Virginia: Don’t think he wasn’t feeling heat after the 1-2 start. This was a ready-made championship team — Big East and national title — and it stumbled all over itself the first half of the season. Maybe the comeback win after falling behind Auburn 17-3 is the beginning of the Mountaineers finding a groove. Anything less than winning out and finishing 10-2 will be disappointing. Two more losses in a lower-tier BCS league will mean a short leash in 2009. – Sporting News

Two Januarys ago, Tim Brewster arrived at the University of Minnesota, talking about taking Gopher Nation to Rose Bowls, and he went 1-11. Now, suddenly, he’s in contention for a Big Ten Conference championship and more. “Just realizing my dream is very special,” said Brewster, whose No. 20 Gophers (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) play Northwestern (6-2, 2-2) at the Metrodome in the most important home game of the season. “This is what I’ve always wanted to have, an opportunity to lead a football team in this way — a winning football team.” – Pioneer Press

Steve Spurrier has said several times in the past week that South Carolina first-year defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson’s midseason extension was a symbol to recruits that Johnson will be around for years to come… A buyout waiver was put in his initial contract, and it’s included in the extension. “If I was fortunate enough to get a head coaching job, they would relieve me,” Johnson said Wednesday. “But unless something unforeseen like that happens, this is where I want to be.” Johnson was head coach at The Citadel from 2001-03. He doesn’t know where, he doesn’t know when, but the 56-year-old Johnson would like another crack at being the head man down the road. “Oh, yeah, I think I would,” he said. “Thing is, there’s so few jobs and so many great coaches. They’re hard to come by. I enjoyed it when I was, but I really enjoy what I’m doing now, too. If the opportunity came about, I’d love to, just like most coaches would.” The extension still certainly means something in the short run. It’s a show of support for what Johnson’s done since coming on board this season. USC, through eight games, is fourth in the country in total defense (256.1 yards a game), third in pass defense (140.4), 36th in rushing defense (115.8) and 15th in scoring defense (16.1 points a game). – Post & Courier

Through the winter, spring and summer, the questions surrounding the University of Michigan football team focused on the offense, which needed to replace its best players and adapt to the spread attack being introduced by new coach Rich Rodriguez. Now that the Wolverines are slogging through a 2-6 season, another question is being asked: Why is the team’s defense performing so poorly? Despite returning eight starters from last season, the Wolverines are allowing more points per game than any other team in 129 seasons of Michigan football. – Ann Arbor News

Notre Dame’s offense was one of the worst in NCAA Division I last season and didn’t get off to a great start this season. The Irish needed a late rally to beat San Diego State, 21-13, in their opener, and scored only seven points in a loss to Michigan State. Even though they had scored 35 points in a win against Michigan in their second game, they still had only 260 total yards. The Irish benefited from six Wolverines turnovers. But an interesting thing has happened since that rough start: The Irish (5-2) have become a good offensive team that continues to show improvement almost every week. One reason for the recent success is that Notre Dame has relied more on a wide open, no-huddle offense and taken advantage of the mismatches their athletic receivers create. That success coincides with the steady improvement of sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who is showing signs that the hype that preceded his arrival at Notre Dame was justified. Clausen was ranked by many scouting services as the No. 1 player in the class of 2007. A large part of Clausen’s success is a matter of gaining experience and maturing. But beyond that Clausen and the Irish have greatly benefited from the no-huddle offense, which they began using late in the Michigan State game. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said the no-huddle has been effective for the Irish. It is a bad matchup for certain defenses because of how quickly the Irish can get in and out of plays. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Florida State wide receiver Corey Surrency has been suspended for Saturday’s game at Georgia Tech for a violation of team rules, according to coach Bobby Bowden. Surrency, the junior college transfer originally from Miami, has struggled since getting off to a fast start. Surrency collected three touchdown receptions in the first two games of the season, but has dropped several passes over the past two games. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder has eight receptions for 158 yards, but five of those came against FCS opponents Western Carolina and Chattanooga. – Florida Times-Union

The frustration level might have risen a notch at UCLA on Wednesday as Coach Rick Neuheisel had some harsh words for his team. “Still way too many mistakes on things that should be rock solid,” he said. “We have to get our guys to understand that this has to be a little bit more important than it’s currently being treated.” – Los Angeles Times

USC tailback C.J. Gable is not going to cry about it. The sophomore from Sylmar said so repeatedly Tuesday while expressing frustration about the Trojans’ tailback rotation. Junior Stafon Johnson leads the Trojans with 66 carries and Gable is second with 54. Sophomore Joe McKnight has 50 and redshirt freshman Broderick Green has 27. “Everybody’s been able to get some shine,” running backs coach Todd McNair said. “Nobody’s been left in the cold.” Gable, however, is the second Trojans tailback to publicly express frustration about his role in USC’s talented but crowded backfield. After not carrying the ball once in the Trojans’ loss to Oregon State on Sept. 25, junior Allen Bradford said he wanted to be a bigger part of the offense. – Los Angeles Times

The problem: This Pitt schedule resembles that of 2006, when most of the difficult opponents showed up during the second half of the season. Up next is Notre Dame (5-2) on the road Saturday. “Everything just went downhill (in 2006),” Thatcher said. “The city, the fans were all on our bandwagon, but in the end it was just us and the coaches and everybody else in the locker room. So that’s what we have to draw on as we go down the stretch this season.” Pitt was ranked No. 17 before losing to Rutgers, a defeat made worse by the breakdown of the Panthers’ secondary. Rutgers’ Mike Teel threw six touchdown passes after having only three in his first seven games for a team that wasn’t averaging two touchdowns per game. A major worry for Pitt is that Notre Dame (5-2) also throws the ball. The Fighting Irish are followed four other teams with only two losses each: Louisville (5-2), Cincinnati (5-2), West Virginia (5-2) and Connecticut (6-2). Three of the final five are on the road, with only Louisville and West Virginia at home. – Sporting News

A day after injured quarterback T.J. Yates returned to practice in a limited capacity, North Carolina coach Butch Davis made it sound like replacement Cam Sexton is in good shape to keep the starting job. Davis said Yates is still “a ways away” from playing. Yates participated in some individual drills Tuesday. But the team medical staff still is keeping him out of drills this week that would call for him to scramble around or avoid contact. – Charlotte Observer

Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, the state’s No. 2 prospect, will leave for USC on Friday on an official visit, coach Dell McGee said Wednesday night. Jones will fly to California for the first time ever to watch the Trojans take on Washington on Saturday night. He is traveling with his mother. Jones, a 6-foot-3, 229-pound member of the AJC’s The Georgia 150, was named to the 2009 Army All-American Team. He will play in the Alamodome in San Antonio on Jan. 3. – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rapid Fire: Syracuse, Penn State, Miami & SDSU Updates

“Rapid Fire” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on multiple coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on four schools…

Syracuse

Greg Robinson took his turn Tuesday to respond to last week’s New York Times report that Syracuse had hired a consulting firm to search for a new football coach. As he has all year, the embattled Syracuse head coach remained defiant, even though his team is 1-6 and one loss away from being eliminated from bowl contention for the fourth-straight season. “I can only worry about the things I can control, and I believe that,” Robinson said at his weekly press conference when asked about the story. “It’s not a distraction to me, it really isn’t. I work hard to make sure it’s not a distraction to our football team. People are allowed to write and put out whatever they want. I have no say in that. – Daily Orange

Penn State

Penn State’s off week is coming at just the right time for coach Joe Paterno. Paterno plans to meet with doctors this morning to have his aching right hip examined. He said during his weekly news conference yesterday that he may have to undergo surgery. Asked if that meant he planned to be back next year, Paterno said: “Have I ever said I wasn’t coming back?” Penn State president Graham Spanier said last night that he and athletic director Tim Curley plan to meet with Paterno after the season to discuss Paterno’s future. Paterno’s contract expires after 2008. Paterno, two months shy of his 82nd birthday, has been relegated to the coaches’ booth the past four games. He also has been walking with the aid of a cane and has been watching practice from a golf cart. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Miami

According to a Miami official, a Canes booster went to the administration and said if Miami hires a top offensive coordinator such as Tulsa’s Gus Malzahn to replace Patrick Nix, he would chip in to pay the coordinator’s salary. – Miami Herald

SDSU

Chuck Long’s rose-colored glasses have gained a new perspective this week. As Long told reporters yesterday, his San Diego State football team easily could be sporting a 4-4 record right now instead of its actual record of 1-7. If only the Aztecs had more fresh bodies to “close the deal” at the end of games, he said. If only they didn’t have to play so many young players because of injuries. “We could easily be sitting at 4-4,” said Long, SDSU’s third-year head coach. “We just haven’t been able to finish, and we’ve got to learn to do that.” The Aztecs are 0-3 this year in games that had a scoring margin of seven or fewer points entering the fourth quarter. SDSU also blew a 10-7 halftime lead against Air Force before losing 35-10. – Union-Tribune

Next Page »